Jamaica edge TT U-17s

In the other Group A match, Haiti hammered Bermuda 5-0.

As a result, Haiti (the group winners) and Jamaica progressed to tomorrow’s semi-finals while the Russell Latapy-coached TT had to wait until last night to find out if they advanced to the CONCACAF stage, as the better of the two thirdplaced group teams.

At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo last night in Group B, Curacao (3 points) were due to meet Guadeloupe (no points) while Cuba (6 points) were expected to face Suriname (3 points).

For the third straight match in Group A, Trinidad and Tobago went 2-0 behind but, unlike their 3-2 win over Bermuda on Sunday, the hosts were unable to complete a stirring fightback.

Jamaica striker Raewin Senior put Jamaica in front after 13 minutes, as he collected a pass from the left flank and banged home his left-footed shot, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Emmanuel John.

TT playmaker Che Benny came close to equalising in the 29th while, six minutes later, Jamaica’s Kaheem Parris went past two defenders but his effort was cleared for a corner.

From the subsequent set-piece, Jamaica doubled their lead, with Nicque Daley meeting Parris’ ball from the right and heading past the stranded TT defence.

Latapy made a tactical switch, taking off left-back Brandon Semper for striker Nion Lammy, and Jamaica almost took advantage of the defensive shake-up, with Senior (39th) and Parris (40th) coming close to widening the gap.

The hosts struck back in the 46th minute, as captain Jaydon Prowell took the ball from a lackadasical Blake White on the left and picked out Benny who, in turn, floated the ball for Lammy to head past the left of goalie Tajay Griffiths.

Two minutes later Parris, with only John to beat, hit wide and that miss proved costly as TT got the equaliser, in the 57th.

Midfielder Isaiah Hudson sent an aerial ball into the penalty box and Prowell reacted first to head home from five metres out.

Jamaica had the final say, as Senior netted the winner in the 73rd, collecting a miscued shot from substitute Jeremy Verley and directing his low left-footer to the left of John.